Man Utd thrash hapless Liverpool

Rooney, Mata, Van Persie on the scoresheet as Manchester United pile more misery on Liverpool; Tottenham beat Swansea.

Sun Dec 14 2014 15:26:44 GMT+0000

Juan Mata scored the second goal and provided the assist for the third [Getty Images]

Manchester United's unlikely title challenge in the Premier League gained further momentum with a 3-0 win over great rival Liverpool, plunging last season's runner-up into more disarray.

Goals by Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie sealed a sixth straight win for United, which has recovered from a disappointing start to the campaign to climb to third place and within eight points of leader Chelsea.

The scoreline was harsh on Liverpool, which was repeatedly denied by United goalkeeper David de Gea, but exposed the team's inefficiency up front and underlined the transformation in fortunes of England's two biggest clubs.

Eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday, Liverpool dropped to 10th place in the Premier League after Tottenham's 2-1 win at Swansea in Sunday's other game.